Logitech G613 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

The Logitech G613 is one of the few wireless high-end gaming keyboards available, but it lacks the Cherry switches and customizable key lighting that many gamers covet.

The Logitech G613 is one of the few wireless high-end gaming keyboards available, but it lacks the Cherry switches and customizable key lighting that many gamers covet.

Sept. 8, 2017Tom Brant

Some gamers prefer tricked-out keyboards with customizable RGB lighting and flashy design cues, while others are fine with a rather plain-looking board as long as it has reliable mechanical switches and a few programmable keys. The Logitech G613 ($149) is the epitome of the latter, but it adds a twist: This is a wireless board, connecting to your gaming rig either via a USB adapter or Bluetooth. There aren't many wireless gaming keyboards on the market, so the G613 is one of the only options to unclutter your desk without compromising accuracy or typing feel. Its feature list isn't as extensive as wired keyboards in its price range, however, including the current Editors' Choice Corsair K95 RGB.

Designed to Blend in, Not Show Off

Essentially a large slab of plastic in two shades of gray, the G613 is of satisfying heft but understated looks. In fact, there are only two things that tip you off to its gaming prowess: the single column of six G keys along the left edge and the switch that lets you toggle in and out of game mode on the right side. Without them, it could pass for pretty much any standard keyboard that comes in the box with a new PC. The design is largely a matter of personal preference. I care little for ostentatious keyboard designs that scream "PC gamer!" such as the Das Keyboard X40 Pro's aluminum top panel that's intricately designed with a dynamic collection of geometric shapes. I much prefer a less-distracting design like the G613's gray hues: There's a deep, dark gray for the keys and wrist rest, and a lighter shade for the board itself.

The wrist rest is a nice feature to have, and I found it to be comfortable during a few multi-hour typing sessions. At this price, however, I expect it to be detachable, like the one you'll find on the Corsair K95 RGB. Instead, the G613 is an integral part of the keyboard, and it can't be removed. One of the benefits of a wireless keyboard other than freeing your desk from wires, is that you can easily move it around and even bring it to the couch for a casual gaming session on your home theater PC. That's not the case with the G613, since the integrated wrist rest brings the board's total weight to 3.2 pounds, which is significantly heavier than most ultraportable laptops.

The G keys are arranged in groups of two in a single column that lies next to the Escape key, so if you program any to perform actions that require fast-twitch response times, you'll mostly be activating them with the pinky or index finger of your left hand. The G3 and G4 keys in particular are easy to reach with your pinky finger via a quick twist of the wrist without actually repositioning your hand. While it would have been nice of Logitech to include many more G keys (there are 18 on the Corsair K95 RGB, for instance), their thoughtful placement makes up for their relative scarcity. The only other addition to the standard 101 keys you'll find on any other US keyboard are two rows of media controls above the number pad, which let you adjust volume, play, pause, rewind, or fast forward through music or videos. To the left of the volume controls are two buttons for connecting the keyboard to your PC via the included USB receiver or Bluetooth. (I used my review unit with the receiver, which connected instantly, sparing me from the cumbersome Bluetooth pairing process that sometimes plagues wireless peripheral setup). Finally, there's a Game Mode toggle switch. Slide it to the right to activate Game Mode, which disables the Windows, Menu, and FN keys to prevent interruptions when you inevitably strike the wrong key in the midst of intense gaming.

Customize Everything, but Don't Expect Lights

You can customize which keys are deactivated in Game Mode, map functions to G keys, and perform a dizzying array of other modifications to the keyboard's behavior using the Logitech Gaming Software control panel. The software works with either Windows or macOS, and includes three main windows. The first lets you customize the G keys, offering dozens of presets as well as the ability create your own macro commands. For non-gaming use, I find the ability to assign left and right mouse clicks to the G keys helpful, since it gives the tired pointer finger on my right hand a break from clicking. The second window offers customization for the game mode; you can deactivate additional buttons by clicking them, and even create multiple profiles for which buttons should be deactivated in each game. The third window offers a nifty— albeit gimmicky—input analysis recorder, which you can activate to record all of your key presses over a specific period of time. The software will then create a key press heat map. Pro tip: Instead of opening this window each time you want to activate the recorder, you can just assign it to a G key.

There's a significant omission in the Logitech software that you'll find in the software of other gaming keyboards: lighting controls. That's because there are no lights on the G613, save for Caps Lock and battery indicators. That's likely to be a major deal-breaker for gamers looking to upgrade from a board that offers RGB lighting. The lack of lights on the G613 is understandable, since including them would result in a significant battery life hit, but the fact remains that an unlit keyboard is unappealing to many gaming enthusiasts. Also missing: an integrated lithium-ion rechargeable battery, like those on other non-gaming, high end Logitech boards such as the Craft. You'll need to bring your own rechargeable batteries to swap out or just use regular old AA cells; at least you won't have to deal with them very often, thanks to Logitech's estimated 18 months of battery life.

Switches: A Matter of Preference

Logitech uses its own in-house Romer-G switches for gaming keyboards, instead of the Cherry MX switches you'll find on most other competing models. Like the overall design of the G613, the switches are also a matter of personal preference. I find them eminently comfortable for typing, but less so for gaming, since they're linear switches that don't provide the satisfying clicky feel that you'd expect from a Cherry MX Red. That's the opposite of conventional mechanical keyboard wisdom, however, which holds that clicky switches are better for typing and linear switches are better for gaming since they have lower activation force. Ultimately, unless you've already used a Romer-G keyboard, you'll need to try out the G613 before you buy it in order to evaluate the switches for yourself. Luckily, Logitech has a relatively generous 30-day return policy.

Unlike how key switches feel, a gaming keyboard's response time is less open to interpretation. It's a particular concern for a wireless keyboard, since radio interference may affect the signal between the board and the PC. Logitech claims its wireless technology (marketed as "Lightspeed") limits latency and achieves "wired-like" performance. In two days of nearly continuous use, including marathon typing sessions and some light gaming, I didn't notice any difference in response times between the G613 and my usual wired keyboard, a Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum. But the Lightspeed signals are still sent over the crowded 2.4GHz band, which is shared by everything from cordless phones to wireless routers, so your experience could vary based on how many such devices you have at home. Performance will also likely be affected if you use Bluetooth instead of the USB receiver. Again, Logitech's return policy will also come in handy here in helping you make a decision.

Wired vs. Wireless

Buying the Logitech G613 is a no brainer if you're in the market for a wireless gaming keyboard, since your alternatives are extremely limited—one of the only other recent options is the Razer Turret, which is a specialized board designed mainly for couch use. There's a lot to like about the G613, from its understated styling to its easy-to-use software. On the other hand, if you're comparing the G613 to other similar wired keyboards in its price range, you might be put off by the absence of two features that define gaming keyboards: customizable key lighting and Cherry switches. Add in the possibility of wireless interference, and most gaming enthusiasts would be better off sticking with a wired board like the Corsair K95 RGB.

Tom is PCMag's San Francisco-based news reporter. He got his start in technology journalism by reviewing the latest hard drives, keyboards, and much more for PCMag's sister site, Computer Shopper. As a freelancer, he's written on topics as diverse as Borneo's rain forests, Middle Eastern airlines, and big data's role in presidential elections. A graduate of Middlebury College, Tom also has a master's journalism degree from New York University. Follow him on Twitter @branttom. More »